Surgical Assistants pay in the U.S.
$72,710avg. a year
$34.96 an hour · 22,270 employed
Surgical Assistants in the U.S. earn an average of $72,710 a year and a median of $66,800. Pay is highest in District of Columbia ($110,920) and lowest in Alabama ($41,310).
$66,800Median pay
$34.96Average hourly
+23%Avg. pay since 2021
22,270Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for surgical assistants
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
190 jobs
District of Columbia
$110,920
$53.33 an hour
2
Colorado
$106,660
$51.28 an hour
3
Arizona
$101,840
$48.96 an hour
4
New Jersey
$97,840
$47.04 an hour
5130 jobs
New Hampshire
$92,410
$44.43 an hour
6230 jobs
Nevada
$91,760
$44.11 an hour
7220 jobs
Oregon
$91,610
$44.04 an hour
8480 jobs
Kentucky
$89,380
$42.97 an hour
9480 jobs
South Carolina
$85,590
$41.15 an hour
10750 jobs
Tennessee
$82,720
$39.77 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Surgical Assistants pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $61k$61k–$71k$71k–$82k$82k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $115,640 | $55.59 |
| Florence, SC | $115,420 | $55.49 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $98,860 | $47.53 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $96,400 | $46.34 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $93,890 | $45.14 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $93,690 | $45.04 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $88,140 | $42.38 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $87,360 | $42.00 |
Related jobs
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Surgical Assistants pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $41,310 | $41,710 | 470 |
| Alaska | $62,580 | $61,210 | 60 |
| Arizona | $101,840 | $111,170 | – |
| Arkansas | $67,290 | $49,600 | 80 |
| California | $67,860 | $62,540 | 1,210 |
| Colorado | $106,660 | $107,440 | – |
| Connecticut | $74,490 | $67,580 | 320 |
| District of Columbia | $110,920 | $123,390 | 90 |
| Florida | $75,960 | $62,550 | 1,260 |
| Georgia | $61,260 | $49,520 | 840 |
| Hawaii | $70,720 | $54,190 | 70 |
| Idaho | $56,260 | $56,460 | – |
| Illinois | $78,760 | $80,210 | 2,300 |
| Indiana | $62,710 | $56,620 | 690 |
| Iowa | $65,780 | $66,030 | 30 |
| Kansas | $59,100 | $57,810 | 180 |
| Kentucky | $89,380 | $84,600 | 480 |
| Maryland | $70,930 | $58,130 | 670 |
| Massachusetts | $55,190 | $56,430 | – |
| Michigan | $61,240 | $56,430 | 560 |
| Minnesota | $80,990 | $75,950 | 360 |
| Mississippi | $52,650 | $50,810 | 120 |
| Missouri | $61,720 | $49,400 | 510 |
| Montana | $72,500 | $67,370 | 100 |
| Nebraska | $60,730 | $53,190 | 80 |
| Nevada | $91,760 | $100,820 | 230 |
| New Hampshire | $92,410 | $77,670 | 130 |
| New Jersey | $97,840 | $90,710 | – |
| New Mexico | $62,530 | $62,010 | 130 |
| New York | $64,100 | $60,070 | 470 |
| North Carolina | $57,690 | $59,920 | 670 |
| Ohio | $74,350 | $77,450 | 970 |
| Oklahoma | $53,730 | $40,160 | 220 |
| Oregon | $91,610 | $80,450 | 220 |
| Pennsylvania | $69,150 | $60,550 | 240 |
| Rhode Island | $70,010 | $61,900 | – |
| South Carolina | $85,590 | $85,580 | 480 |
| Tennessee | $82,720 | $81,640 | 750 |
| Texas | $70,810 | $64,930 | 2,840 |
| Utah | $46,200 | $44,990 | 290 |
| Virginia | $82,280 | $78,910 | 1,000 |
| Washington | $71,820 | $65,440 | 100 |
| West Virginia | $60,120 | $50,870 | 280 |
| Wisconsin | $75,650 | $78,030 | 810 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$78,390
2,090 jobsWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$82,880
680 jobsDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
$85,960
490 jobsBoston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$66,280
430 jobsMilwaukee-Waukesha, WI
$79,710
420 jobsAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$74,850
370 jobsDetroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
$54,230
350 jobsNashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
$87,360
340 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do surgical assistants make?
The average is $72,710 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $66,800 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $34.96, and the median is $32.11 an hour.
Which state pays surgical assistants the most?
District of Columbia, with an average of $110,920 a year. The best-paying metro area is Lexington-Fayette, KY at $115,640.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $39,690 a year, and the top 10% earn over $107,610.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2021–May 2025), occupation code 29-9093. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.